First responders at the awareness level are individuals who are likely to witness or discover a hazardous substance release. These individuals are trained to initiate an emergency response sequence by notifying proper authorities of the release, but will take no further action.

The course will address:

• What hazardous substances are, and the risks associated with them in an incident.
• Potential outcomes associated with an emergency created when hazardous substances are present.
• Recognizing the presence of hazardous substances in an emergency.
• Identifying the hazardous substance, if possible.
• The role of the first responders at the awareness level in the emergency response plan, including site security and control, and the US DOT Emergency Response Guidebook.
• Recognition of the need for additional resources, and to make appropriate notifications to the communication center.

First responders at the operations level are individuals who respond to releases or potential releases of hazardous substances as part of the initial response. The purpose of the operations level individuals is to protect nearby persons, property, or the environment from the effects of the release. They respond in a defensive fashion without actually trying to stop the release. Their function is to contain the release from a safe distance, keep it from spreading, and prevent exposures.

The course will address:

• Basic hazard and risk assessment techniques.
• Selection and use of proper personal protective equipment provided to the first responder operations level.
• Basic hazardous materials terms.
• Basic control, containment and/ or confinement operations within the capabilities of the resources and personal protective equipment available with their unit.
• Implementation of basic decontamination procedures.
• Relevant standard operating procedures and termination procedures.

Hazardous materials technicians are individuals who respond to releases or potential releases for the purpose of stopping the release. They assume a more aggressive role than a first responder at the operations level in that they will approach the point of release in order to plug, patch, or otherwise stop the release of a hazardous substance. Technicians will receive 24 hours of training including first responders operations level plus the areas listed below.

The course will address:

• First responders operations level.
• Implementation of the employer's emergency response plan.
• Classification, identification, and verification of known and unknown materials by using field survey instruments and equipment.
• Functioning within an assigned role in the Incident Command System.
• Selection and use proper specialized chemical personal protective equipment provided to the hazardous materials technician.
• Hazard and risk assessment techniques.
• Advance control, containment, and/or confinement operations within the capabilities of the resources and personal protective equipment available with the unit.
• Implementation of decontamination procedures.
• Termination procedures.
• Basic chemical and toxicological terminology and behavior.

General site workers (such as but not limited to equipment operators, general laborers and others) engaged in hazardous substance removal or other activities which expose or potentially expose workers to hazardous substances and health hazards will receive 40 hours of instruction.

The course will address:

• First responders operations level.
• Implementation of the employer's emergency response plan.
• Classification, identification, and verification of known and unknown materials by using field survey instruments and equipment.
• Functioning within an assigned role in the Incident Command System.
• Selection and use of proper specialized chemical personal protective equipment provided to the hazardous materials technician.
• Hazard and risk assessment techniques.
• Advance control, containment, and/or confinement operations within the capabilities of the available resources and personal protective equipment.
• Implementation of decontamination procedures.
• Termination procedures.
• Basic chemical and toxicological terminology and behavior.
• Hazardous Waste Site Activities.

All employees working on site (such as but not limited to equipment operators, general laborers and others) exposed to hazardous substances, health hazards, or safety hazards and their supervisors and management responsible for the site must receive eight hours of refresher training annually. The refresher training will have sufficient content to maintain their competency.